Paris: Taking a big step towards the online safety of children, France has passed a historic law banning the use of social media by children under 15 years of age. After getting approval from both houses of the French Parliament, this law is being considered the first major step of its kind in the European Union (EU). President Emmanuel Macron wants this law to come into force from the beginning of the new academic session, i.e., in September, although before that it will have to undergo constitutional review.
What does the new law say?
Under the new law, children below 15 years of age will not be able to use social media platforms. Apart from this, a provision has also been made to ban the use of mobile phones in high schools in France. However, platforms related to online education, digital encyclopedias and scientific websites will remain out of this ban so that students’ studies are not affected.
Were steps taken for the safety of children?
In France, parents and child protection organisations have been raising concerns about the ill effects of social media for a long time. He says that some content available on social media is having a serious impact on the mental health of children. Many parents claimed that depression, self-harm and other mental problems have increased in children due to social media addiction.
Did the debate intensify after the TikTok controversy?
In recent years, several families in France had filed lawsuits against TikTok. They alleged that some harmful content and algorithms present on the platform pushed teenagers towards activities like suicide and self-harm. After this, pressure increased on the government to make strict laws regarding the digital safety of children.
Will it be challenging to implement?
Experts believe that implementing the law will not be easy. The biggest challenge will be to verify the real age of the children and identify the social media accounts already created. Besides, an effective system of age verification will also have to be developed.
Did some leaders protest?
France’s leftist party France Unbowed has opposed this law. He says that this law may conflict with some provisions of the Constitution, and it will be quite difficult to implement it practically. They also argue that this may raise questions related to privacy and online identity on the Internet.
How many countries of the world are taking such steps?
Apart from France, many countries like Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and Britain have also imposed restrictions or age-based rules on children’s social media use. Canada, Greece, Denmark and Spain are also considering similar laws.
